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The Russian economy has fallen into a recession this year. A fiscal stimulus package to boost economic growth was announced in May, but we do not expect any short-term results. To gain more influence in the CIS region, Russia has resorted to strong-arm tactics.

The ouster of president Morsi placed Egypt on a new political transition trajectory – unfortunately, not a more democratic one. Generous assistance from the GCC countries gives Egypt financial breathing space, but economic perspectives remain bleak due to unaddressed structural problems.

While the era of double digit economic growth is over, Qatar’s economy is likely to expand by a still robust 5-6% in 2013. Qatar has built a reputation as an international peace broker, but its foreign policy entered choppy waters this year. Fixing this will be one of the challenges for the new emir, Sheikh Tamim.

When President Peña Nieto took office in December last year, he promised to deliver growth. The current figures are however disappointing, but, if his reform proposals will be proved in the coming months, Mexico’s outlook will definitely improve.

The popularity of Peru’s President Ollanta Humala has fallen strongly in the past year, though he remains more popular than his predecessors three years into their presidency. Meanwhile, Congress has recently implemented an important fiscal reform.

An in-depth view into the developments and driving forces of China’s foreign policy is presented. Foreign policy in China is largely driven by domestic goals and has become slightly more assertive in recent years.

As her party is unlikely to obtain a two-thirds majority at the congressional elections of late October, Cristina Kirchner is becoming a lame-duck president. Meanwhile, foreign exchange reserves levels continue to decline.

Economic growth in Panama is strong due to large infrastructure projects. Whether these projects will boost growth structurally, to an extent that it will outweigh the loss of short-term infrastructural investment-driven growth, remains to be seen.